The Godhead
The Godhead
The term “Godhead” is another way of saying “Trinity”. God is one, yet exists not as two but as three distinct Persons. This is a mystery unparalleled in our experience. No earthly illustration can do justice to the Trinity. People try and explain the trinity using various illustrations, but every one of them falls short. The idea that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit reside together as one yet remain distinct is something Believers accept in faith based on the teaching of Scripture.
Some teaching will try and explain the trinity as though there is one part that is in charge and the other parts must work on behalf of the leader. Other teaching is that God created the Son and the Holy Spirit, and so they are not equal. Still other teaching holds that there is one God who manifests Himself as Father or Son or Spirit as needed. These teachings are all false and are not taught in Scripture.
The Godhead is seen in both the Old and New Testaments.
The Godhead in the Old Testament
Gen. 1:1 - The Hebrew word translated God is Elohim. The plural suffix im, presents a singular God who is expressed as a plurality.
Gen. 1:26 - The plurality of the Godhead is also evident in creation - “let us make man, in our image.”
The Godhead in the New Testament
Luke 1:35 - All members of the Trinity were involved in Christ’s incarnation.
Matt. 3:17 - The Trinity was present at Christ’s baptism.
The Trinity was involved in the resurrection of Christ.
The Father - Rom. 6:4; Gal. 1:1; I Pet. 1:3
The Son - John 10:18
The Holy Spirit - Rom . 8:11
It is challenging to comprehend this Triune God, but we do know that He is a Father who loves us, a Son who died for us, and a Spirit who comforts us. God is far beyond our understanding and yet we can know Him through His revealed Word. Each person of the Trinity is deserving of our worship, obedience and study.
What does it mean to say there is a trinity of the godhead?_________________________________
God the Father
You have probably heard many ways to describe God. In the media, He is seen as a kindly gentleman, as a benevolent man content to mop floors, as a man frustrated by the problems created by humans and countless other false ideas. The biggest problem with our ideas about God is that we try and give him human characteristics because we tend to understand things in familiar ways. We hear things like God is jealous, and we think that it is the same kind of jealousy we feel when someone has something we want. We imagine fairness in terms of what we think is fair, and expect God to operate within those concepts of right and wrong.
All of this could not be farther from the truth. God operates on a completely different set of rules than we do. His jealousy is righteous and his fairness is beyond our comprehension. Part of our frustration with life is that we don’t understand when God fails to act according to our plans, yet His ways are significantly higher than ours. The God of the Bible is not the same God of our imagination, so as you look at some of the characteristics of God that follow, remember to try and change your thinking and simply take Scripture at face value.
God is Sovereign
The word “sovereignty” simply means supreme power, or freedom from external control. When we speak of God’s sovereignty we mean that He does what He pleases both in heaven and earth to accomplish His purposes. There is no power or authority greater than God to whom He must submit Himself. I Cor. 8:6 tells us that God is the ultimate source and the ultimate destiny of all things. In Greek the words “all things” signify the totality of things without any exclusion. God has made everything in all His creation and all things are under His sovereign control.
What does it mean to say that God is sovereign?
God Sustains
What God creates He also sustains, maintains, and preserves. He “upholds all things by the Word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). The Greek word for “uphold” means “to support” or “maintain.” It is used in the present tense, implying continuous action. At this moment God sustains everything in the universe. That is much more than a law of nature; it is the very activity of God. If God stopped sustaining His creation, we would cease to exist. Our lives depend on the sustaining power of God and on the physical laws He has established.
What does it mean to say that God sustains?
God Chooses
God sovereignly exercises His option as creator of all to select certain individuals to receive His divine mercy. There are three senses in which He chooses or elects.
1. Theocratic Election refers to God’s selection of the nation of Israel to be His covenant people - see Deut. 7:6; 9:6. God freely chose them out of His love and grace, not because of any merit on their part.
2. Vocational Election: God sometimes chooses particular individuals to do specific tasks. God chose Moses to lead Israel from Egypt, He chose the Levites to serve the nation as the priestly tribe, and Christ chose twelve of His followers to be apostles.
3. Salvational Election: God formed the body of Christ by His independent, sovereign choice. His choice was totally apart from any human consideration and purely on the basis of His own will - see Eph. 1:5, 11. More on this topic will be found in the chapter on salvation.
What three ways do we see God exercising election as a sovereign creator?
___________________ , ____________________
God the Son
Characteristics of Christ
It is said that there is one question a Believer can ask someone to know if they represent a biblical theology. That question is “Who do you say that Jesus is?” Denominations that are false will usually see Jesus as a great prophet, but not God. The Deity of Christ is a critical truth in Scripture and is asserted in the bible as fully and as clearly as the deity of the Father or the Spirit. Isa. 9:6-7 speaks of the birth of Jesus, and He is called “Mighty God” and “Eternal Father.” They proclaim the deity of Christ and His equality with the Father. John 1:1, 14 tells us that the Word, Jesus, is eternal, existing before creation.
Jesus is eternal - Heb. 1:8 is one of the most amazing and important statements in all the scripture - Jesus is God eternal! Jesus is no less than God. God the Father acknowledges the Son, giving clear and irrefutable proof of the deity of Christ from the Father Himself. Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the everlasting Father.
Jesus is creator - John 1:3 states that all things have come into being through Christ. He, being God, was actively involved in creation. Also, in Eph. 3:9 Paul declares Jesus as Creator. This is reinforced in Colossians 1:16.
Jesus is all-powerful - Men and created beings may have some power over some other created things, but this power is limited. Only God's power is unlimited such that He has all power over all created things. Nothing is impossible for God. He has the power to do anything with His creatures that He chooses to do. Matthew 28:18 states that Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and on earth.
Jesus is all-knowing - God has the power to know everything He chooses to know. God is unlimited in wisdom and knowledge in the same sense that He is unlimited in power. Colossians 2:2-3 describes Jesus saying “…in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
What characteristics demonstrate that Jesus is God?
Jesus was Fully Man and Fully God
In considering the virgin birth of Christ we must understand that it is vitally important for at least two reasons:
1. The virgin birth is important to the deity of Christ because Christ received no fallen nature from His father. Thus the testimony of scripture is that He was sinless. The virgin birth provides that there is no doubt as to the divine nature of Jesus’ birth. Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, an event departing from man’s normal and natural process for having children - see Luke 1:34-35.
2. The virgin birth made possible the humanity of Christ. When Jesus took on human form His deity was not diminished, nor did He surrender any divine attribute. To do so would mean that Christ ceased to be God. Rather when becoming man, Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity, meaning that the manifestations of His deity were veiled for a time.
To give up even one of His divine attributes would mean that Jesus would cease to be God. Because Jesus was totally God and totally man, He was both the perfect Sacrificer and the perfect Sacrifice for sin. Only through His death and shed blood could the penalty for sin be paid, thus providing redemption for the elect. Phil. 2:5-8 states that, though completely God, Christ willingly gave up the expression of His glory and took on human form. In doing so He became the God-man, totally God, and totally man.
Why is the virgin birth important in establishing the character of Jesus?
Jesus Paid the Debt of Sin and Freed the Human Race From Condemnation
Through Christ, the believer is set free from the bondage of sin - see Rom. 8:1. No longer are we slaves to sin, but now we are brought into a right standing before God and given all the rights and privileges of sons. Rom. 3:25 states that the only satisfaction or propitiation that could be acceptable to God and that could reconcile Him to man had to be made by God. For that reason God in human flesh, Jesus Christ, “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:6). In Rom. 5:8-9, we read that because we are now identified with Christ and are adopted as God’s children through Him, we are no longer “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). As part of His atoning work, Jesus delivered us “from wrath to come” (I Thess. 1:10), because on the cross He took upon Himself the penalty and suffered the wrath that we deserve.
What was required to free the human race from sin?
Jesus Was Raised From the Dead
Following His resurrection, Jesus made several appearances to various people over a period of forty days, after which time He ascended to heaven. At His ascension two angels appeared to His disciples and proclaimed that Jesus would come again (Acts 1:11). From that day forward the followers of Christ have expected and anticipated His return.
Jesus Will Return To Earth
According to the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus will return to cut short the wrath of the Antichrist and will at that time rapture the church and pour out His judgment upon unbelievers. Eventually He will return at the conclusion of the time of judgment to establish His millennial kingdom (Rev 20).
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit may be the most difficult person of the Godhead to understand. This may be because many Believers give mystical and magical powers to the Spirit. This is unfortunate because it causes other Believers to avoid discussion on the Spirit in favor of stressing the work of the Father and the Son. In reality, the Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son. Scripture teaches us that He is indeed God by both His attributes and His associations, and that His responsibilities are a significant part of every Believer’s life.
The Activities of the Holy Spirit
- His activity as advocate and prosecutor. John 16:8-11 describes the Spirit is the “advocate” or helper of those who believe in Jesus, their counsel for the defense. But in relation to unbelievers, to the godless world, He acts as counsel for the prosecution. The Spirit’s prosecuting ministry is here expressed by the verb, “elencho,” meaning to expose, refute, convince, or convict.
- His activity in creation. Gen. 1:2 states that, though the work of creation is generally ascribed to God without distinguishing the persons within the Godhead as far as the particular work of each is concerned, this verse teaches that the Holy Spirit did play an active role in creation. The use of the word Elohim also indicates His involvement in creation.
- His activity in the incarnation. Matt. 1:18 teaches that the Holy Spirit was the agent of the virgin birth. It was through Him that conception took place. The Holy Spirit’s involvement in the birth of Christ was made known to Mary - see Luke 1:35 and Joseph - see Matt. 1:20.
- His activity in inspiration. II Pet. 1:20-21 states that, although the scriptures were breathed out from God (II Tim. 3:16), the particular person of the Godhead who bore along the human authors was the Holy Spirit. The result of this divine-human effort was the inspired text of the bible.
- His activity in salvation. John 3:5-7 teaches that the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to salvation. When a sinner comes to Christ, he is regenerated, or born-again. He is cleansed of his sin through the regenerating ministry of the Holy Spirit - see Titus 3:5.
What activities of the Holy Spirit help us to know that He is God?
The Ministries of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is actively involved in the life of the believer as He carries out several ministries:
Regeneration - Divine regeneration means the impartation of a life from God that is wholly foreign to that of fallen man. It is the divine nature. It is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Ephesians 2:5 states that this work of regeneration takes place at salvation.
Baptism - The word baptize comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which refers to being enveloped with an element so as to become part of that element. It has the idea of being immersed or submerged. By the Spirit’s baptism into Christ the believer is joined permanently unto the Lord; he has put on Christ, and being in Christ, partakes of all that Christ is. Like regeneration, the Spirit’s baptism occurs one time, at the moment of salvation. I Cor. 12:13 makes it clear that it is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that the believer is brought into the body of Christ. It is not possible to be a Christian and not be baptized by Christ with the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9). Nor is it possible to have more than one baptism with the Spirit. By this baptism the believer is placed into the sphere of the Spirit’s power and Person, into a new covenant, a new atmosphere, a new relationship with others, and a new union with Jesus Christ - see II Cor. 5:17.
Indwelling - At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit indwells or takes up residence in the life of the believer - see John 7:37-39. It is this indwelling by the Spirit which makes the believer the temple of God - see I Cor. 6:19-20.
Sanctification - The root meaning of sanctification is to be set apart, to be classified, and specifically qualified unto the realization of some particular end. As presented in scripture sanctification is twofold:
Positional sanctification is the setting apart which occurs when the Holy Spirit joins the Believer to Christ at the point of salvation - see Heb. 10:14-15.
Progressive sanctification is the maturing in Christ that is only possible through the work of the Spirit - see II Cor. 3:18. Unlike positional sanctification, progressive sanctification is a life-long process that will not be complete until the Believer reaches heaven.
Instructs - The Holy Spirit is the Master Teacher. Spiritually, this ministry is restricted to the Word of God given to man by God with the expectation that it would be understood and received by Believers. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God so that Believers can read and understand its Truth. See John 16:12-15; I Cor. 2:9-12.
Empowers – Believers are sometimes given large tasks to accomplish by God – tasks beyond the capabilities the person may see in themselves. The Spirit empowers Believers for ministry. - see Acts 1:8.
Sealing - The presence of the Holy Spirit within the believer serves as a mark of divine discrimination - see II Tim. 2:19. The Holy Spirit’s sealing speaks of a completed work. Sealing belongs to those who are justified and perfected forever in Christ, thus sealing indicates security. The one who seals becomes responsible for the object upon which the seal is imposed - see II Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30. Eph. 1:13 states that the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit which identifies him as belonging to Christ and which guarantees the believers experience in heaven.
Filling – To be filled with the Spirit involves a day-by-day submission to the Spirit’s control. The filling is entirely the work of the Spirit, but He works through our willing submission. Being filled with the Spirit involves confession of sins, and surrender of will, intellect, body, time, talent, possessions and desires. It is the death of selfishness. (Eph 5:18)
Which ministry of the Holy Spirit involves the impartation of a life that is wholly foreign to fallen man?
When does the Holy Spirit take up residence in the life of a believer?
What are the two aspects of sanctification experienced by the believer?
What is the significance of being sealed by the Holy Spirit?